Most people know of the Hippocratic Oath, sworn by neophyte physicians for millennia, yet few realize that Hippocrates himself was an avid listener and a constant bedside presence. He believed in the doctor-patient connection, while respecting and advocating the potency of human healing. Today, argues emergency room physician and clinical researcher David Newman, medicine focuses narrowly on technology and science, resulting in a reliance on "cures" that sometimes do more harm than good, as well as a disconnect between doctor and patient—and between doctors and their oath. Here he explains how to rebuild the bridge between physicians and their patients.

"A clear-sighted, heartfelt, and humane story of the needless tests and treatments that cripple health care—and how to get rid of them. As a guide to good medicine, it may help us get back to the essence of what good doctors do: be with patients in healing."—Samuel Shem